Bone fragments found in a 1,000-year-old church in Rome Monday are believed to contain the bones of St. Peter, the first Pope and one of Jesus Christ's 12 apostles.

The bones were discovered in clay pots by a worker during routine restoration work of the Church of Santa Maria in Cappella. They were discovered near the medieval altar of the church, which has been closed to the public for the past 35 years due to structural problems.

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The worker discovered two pots that indicated they contained not only the bones of St. Peter, but three other early popes and four early Christian martyrs.

It's been known for centuries that the bone fragments existed, but they had never been found. The remains were handed over to the Vatican, where further study can be done to determine if they are in fact St. Peter's.